


Hooked

by GingerEl



Series: LuNoct Week 2020 [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: AU, Comics, Cute, F/M, Fishing, Fluff, Getting to Know Each Other, No War AU, sweet noctis lucis caelum, video games - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:21:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26612869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingerEl/pseuds/GingerEl
Summary: Finally out from under the Empire’s control Luna realises there's a whole world of things previously kept beyond her grasp. She's more than a little eager to try them out.“And now we just - sit here?” Luna checks.“Gotta wait for the fish,” Noct tells her minutely adjusting his fishing rod.It’s a pretty view, the wide still lake and the rich greens of the trees and Luna enjoys it for a long moment while she waits for something to happen.“There’s no way to entice the fish in faster?” Luna asks.Noct glances at her, smiling, “You’re bored already aren’t you?”“No,” Luna says quickly, then remembering that she’d promised herself never to lie to her future husband she amends, “Yes.”Alternatively: Luna didn't expect to like playing video games so much.Written for LuNoct Week 2020 Day 3 Prompt: Trying out each other's hobbies
Relationships: Lunafreya Nox Fleuret/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Series: LuNoct Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1933219
Comments: 8
Kudos: 33
Collections: Lunoct Week 2020





	Hooked

Annoyingly her and Noctis aren’t _really_ supposed to be alone together for very long at a time despite the fact Luna had been _very_ alone with him during parts of the journey from Tenebrae.

Convenient for them to forget that it's only because of them that Luna is even _here_ and not under the Empire's control still. Much easier to treat them as little more than children and a tiny, bitter part of Luna is chaffing under a new set of rules.

But no. It's different here. She has company, friends, freedom to walk about as she pleases.

She has her sweet Noctis.

Besides, Ignis and Gladio largely let the two of them circumvent those rules by _chaperoning_ them in Noct’s suite - Ignis busy in the kitchen or study and Gladio so deeply immersed in his book Luna wonders if he's aware of the world around them at all.

He is - Noctis threw a fork at him last week and Gladio had simply plucked it out of the air without looking up and Luna’s suitably impressed by his ingrained Shield instincts no matter what Ravus might say.

“Hey,” Noct calls when he enters his chambers looking tired but obviously pleased to see her, Gladio files in afterwards and sets himself down in his customary chair, “How was your day?”

Noctis starts to loosen his tie as he approaches her, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

“Good,” Luna tells him, “And yours? Ravus behaved himself I hope.”

Noct simply gives her a tired smile and gently shakes his head before moving off to his bedroom to get changed.

They're glad Ravus got safe too, obviously, though Noctis did joke with her a little while ago that he wouldn't have minded _too_ terribly had he and Ignis taken a little while longer to make it back.

When Noctis returns a few minutes late he seems much more himself, dressed down in black jeans and a t-shirt. At first he’d tried to stay in his suits when they were together but it was so painfully obvious to her he was miserable dressed up as something he doesn’t yet see in himself. 

Luna much prefers him like this anyway.

Noctis settles next to her on the couch, right along her side warm and solid and _there_ after a long day apart. Leaning in he gives her a soft kiss on the cheek and reaches to rest his hand on her knee.

They may not know each other as well as she’d like yet but she’s gotten good at reading his moods - she’s always _been_ good at reading moods in general - so she picks her book back up to let him know that she’s not expecting anything in the way of meaningful conversation from him for a while.

“You mind if I game?” he asks quietly and Luna just shakes her head, giving the hand on her knee an affectionate pat. It’s not something she has _any_ experience with herself but she knows from letters and conversations they’re a thing that Noctis turns to for solace when feeling particularly under pressure.

Noct leaves her side briefly then and Luna glances up from her book as his large TV lights up and an unfamiliar jingle before turning back to her page.

Noctis is mostly still at her side, just the gentle movement of his arm when he presses a button particularly aggressively or mashes against it with an obvious hint of desperation.

It’s the music that draws her in.

It’s sounds _melancholy_ almost and Luna starts to watch the screen as Noct’s character crouches down to move, hidden, through a tall snow drift into a patch of long grass.

It’s very realistic, Luna thinks, visually at least - not necessarily the way Noct shoots an arrow at an unsuspecting enemy and it blasts all the armour off of it - but aesthetically at least.

Noctis is very focused then and in the brief moment Luna can look away from the action on the screen he’s biting into his bottom lip, soft frown pulling down his brows.

It’s adorable.

Noctis almost dies, the red bar indicating his health just scant tenth of it’s full size and he makes a mad dash away from where his character is fighting, red hair flying as he makes her dodge and roll away from harm.

The space helps and Luna watches as Noctis deftly dispatches the remaining enemies one by one, drawing them out individually so he can’t get overwhelmed again.

Luna doesn’t understand why he didn’t do that in the first place. Why did he decide to run in all guns - _arrows_ \- blazing at the last second? Why didn’t he stay hidden and do his work from the shadows?

Noct’s character roams the screen collecting the, “Good loot at least,” as Noct says, half laughing.

Then his character stops moving, long red hair blowing in the virtual breeze Luna hadn’t noticed existed until then.

It’s so _detailed_. Luna wants to see more, wants to see what she’ll find if she runs up the slope behind her, see if there’s areas in the game that aren’t this stark _stark_ white.

When the character continues to remain still Luna tears her eyes away to glance at her fiance. Only to find his eyes fixed on her face, grin pulling up one side of his mouth.

Inexplicably Luna blushes like she’s been caught doing something _forbidden_.

“Are you enjoying it?” Noct asks her.

“I don’t really understand what is happening,” Luna admits, “But I admit it’s very beautiful and intriguing.”

“Oh, well here,” Noctis says and then he’s pathing back through the menus until he’s selecting an _New Game_.

“Oh no, Noctis -” Luna starts.

“Don’t worry about it,” Noct tells her and to her astonishment he presses the controller into his hand, taking her book and popping it neatly on the side table.

“Did you even save?” Gladio puts in then as, despite herself, Luna is drawn into the story playing out on the screen.

“Doesn’t matter,” Noct mutters and then, to Luna, again says, “Here.”

Noct shifts her hands on the controller so it feels more secure within her grasp, fingers falling naturally over several of the buttons. There’s a prompt on the screen and Luna has to look at the marks on the controller to know which one it is but she does and the story progresses.

It gets a bit more complicated but Noct helps without being overbearing, shifting on the couch so he’s got an arm wrapped around her waist turned slightly into her side with his attention, she can feel, more on her than what’s happening on screen.

When her character has grown from a child to a young woman she turns to Noct as asks, “You don’t mind?”

“Are you having fun?” he counters.

Luna nods.

It’s oddly exhilarating to play, even though Luna’s only sitting down, feeling so intrinsically tied to what’s happening on screen under the influence of her fingertips. How she feels so attached to the main character, wincing whenever a misstep from Luna means she gets hurt.

“Don’t you want to play again?” Luna asks even though selfishly she wants to stay in control herself.

“Nah,” Noct says and he gives her an affectionate squeeze, “I think this is more fun.”

\- - -

“There you are,” Luna says when she finally comes across Noctis - obviously hiding in a small garden within the Citadel grounds lounging on a bench reading something balanced on his lap.

Noctis startles a little, but manages to restrain himself from jumping clear off of his bench - whatever he was reading vanishes into the ether in a shimmer of blue magic Luna is learning to recognise. He shifts from where he’d been sitting cross-legged in the centre over to one side. With a little smile he pats the now empty spot next to him.

Gentiana steps into the doorway and turns her back on them to offer a semblance of privacy that means Luna feels bold enough to cup Noctis’ jaw and pull him in for an all too brief kiss when she settles at his side.

“Hi,” Noctis says quietly, “I didn’t know you were looking for me, sorry.”

“It wasn’t urgent,” Luna says, “And I found you now - though Ignis told me you were looking over some reports and I’d find you in your office.”

Luna raises an eyebrow and Noctis grins then, looking proud of himself.

“That’s what I told him,” Noct agrees.

“And he believed you?” Luna teases.

Noctis shrugs, “Sometimes I think he chooses to believe things he knows to be a lie. As long as he’s not called away to attend to a diplomatic disaster caused by _these_ hands he’ll let me have a little time alone when I need it.”

Luna feels guilty, “Apologies,” she says, “I’ll leave you to -”

Noct grabs her hand as she tries to stand, “No, no, not you,” Noctis stresses, “I don’t need alone time from you.”

Her face feels warm and her insides particularly fluttery but she settles down, ducking her head when Noctis leans in to kiss her cheek.

“What _did_ you need space from?” Luna asks wondering if she can put her influence to good use by making it _go away_.

Noctis surprises her by laughing, “Nothing like that.”

Luna feels the magic shimmer and break as Noct recalls the item from before and then he’s waving brightly coloured comic book in the air between them.

“Prompto gave me the latest _Astrals and Elements_ like _last week_ and if I don’t get through it soon he’ll spoil it for me,” Noctis explains. He looks both enthusiastic and a little embarrassed.

“That seems unlike him,” Luna says unable to imagine sweet Prompto doing something so obviously callous.

Noctis rolls his eyes, “Not on purpose - dude just has the worst brain to mouth filter I’ve ever seen.”

Luna giggles because she's certain that's true even just from the few brief times they’ve met in person.

“Here,” Noct says pushing it into her lap, “Do you read it?”

Luna shakes her head but takes it.

It’s bright and colourful, appealing in it’s boldness and strong lines. On the front cover is a woman clad all in green - she _is_ green Luna realises after a moment - with twisted vines and leaves over arms and body thrusting a gnarled wooden trident down towards a figure on the ground held in place by more of her vines.

“Not at all?” Noctis asks sounding _aghast_.

Luna shakes her head again and is just about to turn the first page because she wants to see _more_ when Noct is snatching it away again and starting to stand.

“Come on,” Noctis says grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet.

“Where are we going?” she asks hurrying along with him laughing a little breathlessly. As they exit the garden back into the halls Gentiana falls in to step behind them but seems in no hurry to keep up with Noctis’ urgent footsteps.

“You can’t start with this one,” Noctis tells her emphatically, “You need to - oh man, Peti’s first arc. You’ll love it, she’s a total boss. Like you.”

“Noctis,” Luna chides laughing with a little embarrassment.

“What, it’s true?” Noct tells her matter-of-fact, “You spend all your time helping people without ever asking for anything in return _plus_ I know you could put me on my ass if you wanted to.”

Sometimes Luna wants to, but not quite in the way Noctis means now.

They make it into an elevator and Noct at least has the good sense to wait until Gentiana has joined them before pressing the button up to his floor.

Halfway up, however, Noct seems to lose some of his nerve.

“Sorry,” he suddenly says, “This is probably - you probably think this is dumb right. My stupid comics.”

“No,” Luna says quickly, “No, I’d very much like to see them.”

Noct squeezes her fingers and gives her a little smile.

“Hey,” he says, “What’s something you like doing I can try out?”

Luna immediately comes up short, “I don’t really have any hobbies, I suppose.”

She feels embarrassed.

“Nothing?”

Gentiana clears her throat, “My lady always enjoyed arranging flowers for her bedroom.”

“Oh, yes,” Luna remembers and wonders if that really counts, “I did.”

“Okay,” Noct says, “Okay then.”

\- - -

A few days later Noctis finds _her_ in the gardens, one of the larger ones with rows of vibrantly coloured roses and tulips and a fresh bed of overturned earth where they’re trying to cultivate a crop of sylleblossoms in her honour.

He’s carrying a wide flat wicker basket faintly bristling with excitement with Gladio and Ignis following just a few paces behind him as an escort. Noct leans right in brazenly in front of them to give her a chaste kiss on the mouth.

“Your afternoon is free right?” he asks oddly breathlessly.

“It _was_ \- but it seems as though you might have filled it for me?”

Noct nods and gestures towards the flower beds, “You can pick what you want and then - I bought some vases, so you can make up some arrangements,” he shrugs a little helplessly, “I bet my Dad would like one for his office.”

“Oh I couldn’t,” Luna says aghast, “It’s so beautiful here, I -”

“No it’s fine, I asked the gardeners, they said they’d be honoured.”

Luna tries to say no again but Noct manages to convince her with little more than a hopeful grin and open blue eyes.

He carries the basket for her while she carefully snips perfect blooms from various bushes and bulbs, filling the basket to bursting so there's more than enough to make up several bouquets.

Noctis’ attempts are clumsy at best but he seems to enjoy himself and when they dine with the King that evening his white and purple arrangement is displayed pride of place.

\- - -

Luna has _never_ seen Noctis this overtly animated and excited with so many people present.

Not ever.

Ignis had arranged it, this afternoon reprieve during their long tour of Lucis - visiting towns and cities to meet the people that would soon be _her_ people.

Their itinerary had been chock full but Luna hadn’t paid attention to the details, trusting in Ignis’ meticulous work that she would be where she was needed with any information she needed at exactly the right time.

So she’d had no idea that she would be presented with these hours out under the burning Lucian sun surrounded by few but the people dear to her heart.

Even Ravus seems amenable to the ideal, owing mostly, she supposes, to the offer of a sparring match with Ignis she knows her brother has been hankering after for some time now.

“I’m going to start fishing,” Noctis says and sure enough a fishing pole materialises in one hand and a battered, obviously _loved_ tackle box in the other.

Luna surveys her options - a moment of solitude, watching the fight between Ignis and Ravus, a walk with Gentiana - and asks, “Can I come?”

Noctis _beams_.

Hand in hand they walk the short distance to the dock and Noctis asks her to wait while he sets down his gear and then strips out of his sweatshirt to spread out at the end of the dock.

Noctis sheds his boots, tucking his socks into them and sits down with his feet dangling over the edge right next to where he’d spread his clothes out. He looks up at her with a smile bordering on goofy and invites her down next to him.

Luna kicks out of her own shoes and lowers herself onto the dock. If she stretches out her toes she can _just_ brush them against the cool, clear water.

“You’ll scare the fish,” Noct tells her and she pulls them back despite the clearly teasing tone in his voice.

Luna watches as he selects a lure - heavy and brightly coloured he tells her because the fish in this lake all hide towards the bottom and it takes a lot to draw them out. He casts in what seems to be effortless swing.

It hits the water with an audible plop and sinks from view.

Then nothing happens.

“And now we just - sit here?” Luna checks.

“Gotta wait for the fish,” Noct tells her minutely adjusting his fishing rod against his leg.

It’s a pretty view, the wide still lake and the rich greens of the trees and Luna enjoys it for a long moment while she waits for something to happen.

Perhaps the quiet and the stillness is what Noctis enjoys but Luna’s whole life before Lucis had been made up of forced quiet and stillness.

“There’s no way to entice the fish faster?” Luna asks.

Noct glances at her, smiling, “You’re bored already aren’t you?”

“No,” Luna says quickly, then remembering that she’d promised herself never to lie to her future husband she amends, “Yes.”

Noctis laughs, deeply and loudly. Luna blushes.

“I’m sorry,” Luna says honestly, wishing this had been immediately appealing to her and feeling guilty that is was not.

Noct stops laughing and wraps his free arm around her waist, hand warm against her hip.

“Don’t be,” he says, “I have comic books in the Armiger if you -”

“Yes,” Luna says excitedly, “Please - more of the _Elements_ one?”

Noctis nods and soon she’s absorbed in that fictional world once more. She’s lost count of how many editions of this have migrated from Noctis’ chambers to her own or the lively debates she’s had with him and Prompto about different character's motivations.

Noctis kisses her temples, “Two out of three isn’t bad, I guess.”

**Author's Note:**

> Noctis: schedules a trip to the video game store so he can hunt out an epically long two player RPG to play with his completely out of his league fiancee.  
> Noct was playing HZD because I’ve been playing HZD. Specifically the Frozen Wilds DLC. Pretty but my god are those machines just handing my ass to me on a platter.
> 
> I started yelling and rambling about things on twitter @Ginger_El_   
> Come say hi!


End file.
